During my yoga practice today, I set the intention to “lead with my heart”.  I meant this in both the physical and emotional/ spiritual sense.  Lately my practice has really been about expanding, opening beyond where I’ve been, and growing in every direction, in every way.  In essence, I am practicing to become as big as I really am.

It was a powerful, strong and beautiful practice for me today.  Although the room was heated above 90 degrees and sweat was pouring into my eyes, I felt myself move in ways I haven’t been able to in the past.  And I was able to carry my intention with me throughout my practice.

In my final posture, corpse pose (or shavasana), my mind quieted easily and I laid there in a bliss filled state. Then I heard, from a place inside my heart, “You are growing your heart.  Can you open even more, to allow for all of it to exist and reside there?”

The “good”, the “bad”, the “beautiful” and the “ugly”- it all DOES exist.  The question is, can I keep my heart open to all of it, allowing even the things I reflexively judge or close myself off from, to BE, and simply exist as they will?  And in this allowing for every aspect to be exactly as it is without wishing it to be different, can I keep my heart open and continue to receive love, inspiration and guidance regardless of what is happening elsewhere?

These are deep, bold and beautiful questions to inspire me in my practice of “leading with my heart”.  And as I journey forward, holding these questions, I can feel my heart expanding beyond the boundaries of where it was before.  May we all have the courage to open, expand and lead with our hearts even in the face of projections, fear and judgment.  And so it is.